The more we depend on technology to make decisions for us, the less we actually decide for ourselves. On the surface level this seems good; the less decisions you have to make, the more mental bandwidth you have later on to decide on something else.
The problem is that technology cannot measure everything in the world around us. It cannot measure people's reaction to certain things, it cannot measure feelings or emotions, it cannot measure a person's mood, etc... And so technology cannot reliably predict everything that's going on around you, nor can it reliably predict what's going to happen in the future. Hence, the decisions it makes is based on its own expected reality, not yours.
Perhaps lesser known is the fact that Ignatius also developed a method of discernment or decision-making that is still relevant today and that can be applied by people of all faiths and adapted to those who are not religious.
A great read on a decision-making process developed by a 16th-century saint. Belief in the divine is not a requirement to make use of this decision-making process. Credit for that goes to the author, who makes an effort to make this process applicable to everyone.
He also urged people to make decisions for the “greater glory of God.” How can non-religious people use this advice? I argue they can consider how their decisions will affect the vulnerable, the poorest and the most marginalized.
That is a wonderful way to translate the phrase “for the greater glory of God” and make it applicable for people who do not believe in God.
In today’s hurried world, a 16th-century Catholic mystics’ advice may seem quaint or his process tedious. However, many modern psychological approaches confirm the value of such reflective practices.
A good reminder to look into the past for solutions to problems that we might still have today.